08 May 2018

Two Molepolole youths have encouraged their contemporaries to initiate businesses in order to fight unemployment and poverty.

The duo, Messrs Emmanuel Modisaotsile and Motlotlegi Kooitse, both 31, are the minds behind the successful Motem Holdings, a catering, gardening and landscaping company.

The company currently employs 26, mostly youth.

Speaking in an interview with BOPA, the duo said the youth must make efforts to raise the initial capital for opening businesses.

They said although it was not easy for them to start their business, they succeeded through determination and hard work.

The company was established in 2014 focusing on catering and later added gardening and landscaping.

They are currently offering catering services in Kanye and at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development headquarters in Gaborone, which has increased their employees from 16 to 26.

They are proud to have created jobs for other youths.

The duo explained that when they started Motem Holdings, they did not have much and had to rely on their savings to sustain the company and buy resources one by one.

They advised their contemporaries to identify their strengths and focus on them.

In their case, they explained, their passion for cooking and gardening influenced them to start such a business.

Passion was supported by their academic qualifications and skills as Mr Kooitse has Trade B in Forestry while Mr Modisaotsile has a Business Administration certificate.

They said they had a number of business ideas, but chose catering and gardening due to high demand for such services and their ability to meet it.

The business, they said, was also doing well due to their marketing efforts, which won them tenders from the council and individuals.

This has motivated them to stick to their business goals.

Even though successful, they still have some challenges such as competition from large retail shops.

This competition has put them under pressure of reducing prices.

Another challenge is shortage of equipment and lack of a vehicle for transporting food and other items such as well as tents.

They are optimistic that they will in future secure a government grant to expand their business. Ends